NIGHT-HAWK. 33 



ORDER. PASSERES. (Perchers.) 

 FAM. CAPRIMULGUm (The Falcons.} 



NIGHT-HAWK.* 

 (Piramidig. Musquito-hawk.) 

 Chordeiles Virginianus. 



Caprimulgus Americanus, WILS. Aud. pi. 147. 

 Caprimulgus Popetue, VIEILL. 



Chordeiles Virginianus* BON. 



THESE birds are doubtless migratory, for we see 

 nothing of them from September to April. They 

 probably winter with the Grey Petchary and the 

 Red-eyed Yireo, in Central America, as they appear 

 with those species about the beginning of April. 

 We can scarcely fail to recognise the period of their 

 arrival ; for their manners and voice are so singu- 

 lar, that they force themselves upon our attention. 

 About an hour before the sun sets, we hear a loud, 

 abrupt, and rapid repetition of four or five syllables 

 in the air above our heads, resembling the sounds, 

 piramidig, or gi me a lit, or perhaps still more, witta- 

 wittawit. On looking up we see some two or three 

 birds, exceedingly like swallows in figure and flight, 



o / 



* Length 8 inches, expanse 20, tail 4, flexure 7^-, ri 

 ^, middle toe -j^. 



rictus ^ tarsus 



